Movable sign



P 8, 1931- "r. J. CARROLL 1,822,798

MOVABLE SIGN Filed Oct. 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 8, 1931. 'r. J. CARROLL MOVABLE SIGN Filed Oct. 10, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7720mm; J6'arra!) an s? v :llllllllll ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES THOMAS J. CARROLL, or new YORK, N. Y.

MOVABLE SIGN Application filed October 10, 1927.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in movable signs. 7

The salient object of my invention is to provide a sign in which a picture, advertising media, or the like may be mounted.

An object, ancillary to the foregoing, is to provide movable members which may be disposed to alternately cover and disclose said picture or the like.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the device in such a way that the picture ,or the like may be illuminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the foregoing character which will be simple in construction, and positive, quiet, and efficient in operation- Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be herefor the plates or movable members of. my-invention. V

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modified form of construction for the mounting for the member to be carried in the sign.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 77 of Figure 9, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken approximately on line 99 of Fig. 11 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 10 is a detail view drawn on an enlarged scale and showing a portion of the device as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view Serial No. 225,292.

showing the adjustable mounting means for the plates or movable members in elevation.

In the drawings wherein the preferred form of construction of my invention is depicted I show two substantially circular side walls 10 and 11 between which a substantially annular drum 12 is disposed. To the drum 12 shelves or brackets 13 and 14 are secured as by bolts 15. The shelves 13 and 14 are disposed parallel and are spaced from the center of the drum. U-bolts 16 are attached to the shelves 13 and 14 and are disposed inwardly. Stay bolts 17 extend between the side walls 10 and 11 and through the U-bolts 16. On the ends of stay bolts 17 the nuts 18 are fitted and these nuts serve to draw the side walls 10 and 11 against the edges of drum l2.

Disposed, in the present instance, to lie at the corners of a pentagon, are brackets '19 in which shafts 20 are rotatably journaled, the brackets 19 being secured to the inner surface of drum 12 by bolts 21. Between one of the brackets 19 and the wall 11 on each of the shafts 20, sprockets 22 are fixed. A chain 23 is led around the sprockets 22 so as to interconnect them for simultaneous movement. A rod 24 extends through the shelves 13 and 14 and at the lower end thereof a hook 25 is provided which engages the chain 23. The upper end of rod'24 is screw threaded and the nut 26 meshes therewith and rests on the upper side of shelf 13. By positioning the nut at different locations the hook 25 may be elevated or lowered and thus the looseness of chain 23 may be taken u Brackets 27 are carried by shelf 14 in which a shaft 28 is rotatably mounted. A worm wheel 29 is fixed thereon'which meshes with a worm gear 30 on the shaft of motor 31 which is carried by shelf 14. A bracket 32 rotatably supports a stud shaft 33 on which a gear 34 is fixed. The gear 34 meshes with a pinion 35 on shaft 28.

On shaft 19' an arm 36 is mounted which stood that any suitable pivotable connection might be used other than the one disclosed. Thus, when motor 31 is operated, the movement thereof is transmitted through worm gear 30, worm wheel 29, shaft 28, pinion 35, to gear 34 which operates link 38 so as to reciprocate arm 36 and thus shaft 19.. This reciprocatory. movement is transmitted through chain 23 to other of shafts 19.

The center portions of the walls 10 and 11 are dished inwardly as indicated at 41' and the inner portion of this dished section is cut away to provide openings 42, which are arranged so as to provide a lip-43... Atransparent plate 44, to be described, is mounted over the opening 42 so asto extend overlip 43.. A ring 45,. of a size similar to lipv 43,.is fitted. over the plate 44 and screws 46 hold this ring, and therefore plate 44', in position. The. plates 10 and 11 are inwardly dished to: countersink the nuts 18.

On. the ends of. the shafts 20 anplurality of movable plates 47 are fixedly mounted. In: the presentv instance the plates 47 are formed and disposed to form'a pentagon star when in closed position as indicated in Fig. 1. When the shafts 19 are moved, in. the manner described, the plates 47 are moved to: the position: shown in Fig- 2; The arm 36 movesfrom: the full line position of Fig. 4;to the dotted line position on this figure to. accomplish this movement, these being the extreme positions. The plates 47 arebeveled at 48 to facilitate the interfitting thereof.

As is apparent from, Fig. 2, the. plates are so -disposed, when. in open position, that. the plate 44 is disclosed. If, for example,this device is employed in a theatre, a picture ofthe star of the play would be mounted on the plate 44. In mercantile usage, advertising. matter would be mounted thereon.

If the device'is employed only in: daylight the foregoing mechanisms will suihce. However, to increase the visibility of the subject on plate 44, I provide, on the'lower side'of shelf 13-, a socket 49 in which an electric lamp 50 may be mounted. Thus the subject on the transparent plates 44 is illuminated. It is to'be understood that the plates 44 are removable so as to be changeable and that the subject will ordinarily beretained thereon. j

In Fig. 8, a-modified' for-m of construction for the casing is shown wherein two substantially circular fiat rings 52' and 53 are provided which have openings therein through which the stay boltssuch as 54 extend. Shelves 13 and 14 substantially sim ilar to-the shelves 13-and 14, are attached to the stay bolts 54 in any approvedmanner as by the U-bolts 55. The shelves 13 and14 engage the rings 52'and 53and serve to space said rings apart.

The; space between the rings 52' and 53, around the edges thereof is closed bythe casing 56 which includes lip portions 57 that are bent down over the rings and secured thereto in any approved manner as by the rivets 58.

The circular openings such as 59 which are defined by the rings 52 and 53 are closed by the substantially flat plate 60 which includes an inset portion 61 and an inset portion 62. As is shown best in Fig. 6 a ring 63 is provided which is arranged so as to comprisea'shoulder64. A picture 65 or the like is mounted so as to abut the shoulder 64 and a transparent plate 66 is mounted over this picture and a ring 67 is then fitted over the transparent plate and said ring is securedv to ring; 68 in any approved manner as by screws 68. Thus, the member which is adapted'tobe disclosed by the movable members 47 is arranged in; a. readily removable frame indicated in the drawings by A. The frame-A is mounted in the inset portion 62, and pivotally mounted on the wall 69 of the inset portion 61, are the latch dogs 7 0, which are fitted over the frame A so as to hol'd' it in position.

In this. construction the shafts 20"are journaled in. openings provided: in the rings 52 and; 53 and the remaining portions of the device are constructed.- in the manner heretofore described.

It is apparent that the movable members 47 will'need tohave a nice fit along the edges on which the bevels 48are provided in order that they. will properly interfit, and While the plates are fixed on the shafts 20 and 19 as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and in Figs: 7, 9and.11,,I depict. aco-nstruction whereby I am enabledto obtain an adjustable-mounting for the plates 47. It is to be und'erstoodithat thismounting may he used with either ofthe constructions depicted: i'nFig; 3: or Fig: 8'. ln'the construction'shown,I= depict a collar 71 as having a flange 72: which abuts the wall 10-and said collaris disposed around one of the shafts 20: The collar 71' also includesa flange 73 which. bears against the plate 47, and a cap screw 74 isfitted over the end of the shaft. so as to: secure the plate thereon.

The flange 76. is recessed and has formed thereon upon opposite sides of the. recess, outstruck portionsor lugs 75 and- 76 which are spaced apart as shown best' in. Fig. 9; A flat lug iscarried by the plate 47 and is disposed between the portions 75 and 76. Set screws 78 and 79 are carried by the portions 75 and 76 and bear against the pin 77 Byzloosening one of" these screws and tight ening the other, the plate 47 may be shifted on the shaft 20 arelativel'y small amount and thus a close adjustment is obtained.

Sincethe device may-be used in. wintry weather it; is apparent that snow andiice will i collectthereon which will prevent proper operation. To prevent. this, electricheating elements 51 may be mounted in the plates 47 as shown in Fig. 5.

It is to be understood that the plates 47 may be formed and disposed in any desired shape and also that the device may be constructed in any suitable configuration and still not depart from the purview of my invention.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including a casing having a picture or the like mounted thereon, a plurality of shaft-s mounted in said casing, movable members mounted on said shafts adapted for simultaneous movement whereby to alternately conceal or disclose said picture, an arm on one of said shafts, a rotating member, a link eccentrically connected to said rotating member and also connected to said arm whereby to impart a reciprocatory movement to said shaft, means for transmitting said reciprocatory movement to the remainder of said shafts whereby to impart said alternate movement to said movable member.

2. A device of the character stated including a casing having an opening therein, a transparent member removably mounted over said opening, a plurality of movable members adapted to alternately disclose and conceal said transparent member, shafts mounted in said casing adapted to support said members, an arm on one of said shafts, a rotating member, means for rotating said member, a link connected to said arm and eccentrically attached to said rotating memher, said link imparting a reciprocatory movement to said shaft, means interconnect ing said shafts whereby said reciprocatory movement will actuate said movable members.

3. A device of the character stated including a casing having an opening therein, a transparent member removably mounted over said opening, a plurality of movable members adapted to alternately disclose and conceal said transparent member, shafts mounted in said casing adapted to support said members, an arm on one of said shafts, a rotating member, means for rotating said member, a link connectedto said arm and eccentrically attached to said rotating member, said link imparting a reciprocatory movement to said shaft, means interconnecting said shafts whereby said reciprocatory movement will actuate said movable members, and illuminating means in said casing.

4. In a device of the class described, a housing having openings in the sidewalls thereof, means for supporting a picture or the like in said openings, shaft members extending through said housing, movable members mounted on said shaft members and dis posed on the outer sides of said casings, and means for imparting movement to said shaft members whereby movement may be imparted to said movable members to alternately conceal or disclose said pictures, said last named means including sprocket members mounted on said shaft members, an arm mounted on one of said shaft members, a rotatable disc, a link adapted to be eccentrically connected to said rotatable disc and to the outer end of said arm, and means'for imparting rotative movement to said disc.

5. In a device of the character stated, a substantially cylindrical casing having parallel side walls, said side walls having openings provided therein at substantially the mid points thereof, means for supporting a picture or the like in said openings, shaft members adapted to extend between the side walls of said housing adjacent the periphery thereof, movable members mounted on said shaft members and adapted to form a figure of pre-determined shape when disposedto conceal said picture, means for imparting movement to said movable members whereby to move said members from figure-forming position so as to disclose said picture, said last named means being adapted to be moved in the opposite direction whereby to re-form said figure so as to conceal said picture, said moving means including sprockets mounted on said shaft members, means for inter-connecting said sprocket members, an arm mounted on one of said shaft members, a rotatable disc, a link member adapted to be eccentrically connected to said disc and to the free end of said arm, and means for imparting rotative movement to said disc.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS J. CARROLL. 

